Ben Franklin Technology Partnersgets a lot of attention, and rightfully so, for its expertise in growing tech companies. In its latest round of financing, Ben Franklin’s Northeast PA office took on a special mission to assist in the reduction of energy consumption of two of its largest manufacturers. For one center, Hitachi Metals, the answer was a complex binder system using collagen instead of resin. For the other, Ashland machine part manufacturer Ashland Foundry and Machine Works, the answer was as simple as changing a few light bulbs.
“The major finding they had was that if we made a major investment in a new lighting system that, in a short period of time, we should be able to recoup that investment,” says Ashland Director of Finance Sharrel Hebert. “Just by making minor repairs to the fixtures and changing out some bulbs, we could see a return between $20,000 and $40,000.”
After receiving $32,850 from Ben Franklin, Ashland convened an energy audit, which called for a complete lighting overhaul at the Foundry and Machine Works. The switchover to more efficient lighting systems will start this fall as an ongoing project for the factory. This week, Hebert and her team began making small improvements that will add up to big energy savings. Changing light bulbs and making minor repairs are a good start. And with a full audit in place, the future of Foundry manufacturing is only getting brighter.
“We are undertaking simple things first. We are changing out some old fixtures and light bulbs and changing procedures, simple things like making sure things are turned on or off,” says Hebert. “There are larger repairs that need to be done and we are in the process of making those repairs now.”
Source: Sharrel Hebert, Ashland Foundry and Machine Works
Writer: John Steele